During the five seasons in which Tales of Wells Fargo ran on Monday nights it had a single regular cast member, Wells Fargo agent Jim Hardie. Jim was a troubleshooter for teh company, whose assignments ranged from helping employees out of personal jams to functioning as an unofficial lawman by fighting criminals who preyed on Wells Fargo shipments and passengers.

In the fall of ff1961, Tales of Wells Fargo moved to Saturday nights and was expanded to a full hour. Also expanded was the regular cast. Although still a Wells Fargo agent, Jim Hardie was now also the owner of a ranch just outside of San Francisco. He had acquired a young assistant in Beau McCloud and a ranch foreman named Jeb GAine. The ranch next door to his was owned by Widow Ovie, who lived with her two attractive daughters, Mary Gee and Tina. Ovie had her eye on Jeb as a possible second husband, despite his lack of interest. Most of the shows during this last season took place on the Hardie ranch and in San Francisco, although Jim still went on an occasional assignment in other parts of the West.